Ramesh Chennithala alleges wider conspiracy behind missing Sabarimala gold

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday sounded a grave alarm over the disappearance of gold from the Sabarimala temple, alleging that the incident may be the tip of a far larger and more sinister conspiracy involving the illicit sale of priceless temple antiquities across Kerala.

A day after recording his statement before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case, Chennithala described the episode as a “mysterious and massive fraud,” accusing the state government of turning a blind eye to those responsible. He demanded firm action against former ministers whom he alleged were linked to the scandal.

“The missing gold is not an isolated incident. It appears to be part of a well-orchestrated conspiracy to accumulate enormous wealth by selling antique articles from temples across the state,” Chennithala said.

The veteran leader further claimed that attempts to execute such a plan were made during the tenure of senior CPI(M) leader Kadakampally Surendran, when he served as Devaswom Minister. Chennithala said he had raised the issue in the Kerala assembly while serving as leader of the Opposition, but his concerns went unheeded.

His remarks come days after he approached the SIT with information suggesting the possible involvement of an international racket in the Sabarimala gold loss case. Acting on his request, the SIT recorded his statement at the Crime Branch office on Sunday.

Chennithala said the information he shared with investigators had been passed on to him by a businessman, adding another layer of intrigue to the unfolding probe.

The SIT is currently investigating two cases involving the theft of gold plates from the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the gold-plated doorframes of the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case, including two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

As the investigation deepens, the allegations have cast a long shadow over the management of temple treasures in Kerala, raising troubling questions about the safety of the state’s sacred heritage.

With PTI inputs